River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-31
Capt. joe. vengeance.

Capt. Jos's Vengeance.
Just before Custer made his famous
Wichita campaign against the redskin,"
says Capt. Joe Smith of Kansas. IL
was hunting and trapping or the Chm
maron River on the line of the Indian
Territory. There were three of US, my
partners being named Hank White and
Lew Benson. respective and brave, good
men they were. We were about ready
to pack up and get out of the hunting
grounds when White accidentally fired
bullet into his hip, and we found our
selves forced to lie close until he could
walk. Ii was a severe but not dan
gerous wound, and it was likely thatin
about fortnight he could be able TO
move. The Indians had not bothered
us any to speak of up to this time; but
now, as if to add to add to the perpleXi-
ties of our situation, the devils seemed
to be over-running the neighborhood.
We had camp which was well nigh
impregnable to attack, and the towards
contented themselves with lurking
about and seeking to cut one or the
other of us off without exposing them
selves. was fired upon twice in one
day. and next day Benson got a bullet
through his cap.
"While we had ceased trapping one
of us must do more or less hunting To
supply the camp, and only one could
20 out at time. White was but little
better than helpless, and we dared not
leave him alone His wound was
rapidly improving at the end of ten
days and we were feeling sanguine
that he could use his leg in another ten
when | went out one morning after
meat Game had become shy and
scarce in our immediate vicinity. and
made a jaunt of about six miles up the
river to reach some wooded bottom
lands Ii was mid-afternoon before
returned, having the hind quarters of
doe and fine turkey, | took the usual
precautions when approaching camp,
but met with no alarm until / entered
it. Then l found White dead and
scalped. and brutally disiigu~ed. Ben
son missing, and all our traps and pei
tries and other property gone. The
Indians had been there.
| was so taken aback that it was
some minutes before could act. Then
| went out TO scour for their trail and
seek evidence as to whether Benson had
been carried off or murdered. | was
circling about the place when | heard a
voice family calling, and entered "A
thicket about eighty rods from camp,
ID find Benson lying on the ground in
three places. He was hardly better
than a dead man, and twas in whispers
that he told me the story. | had been
gone about two hours. and he had
started for the river to get some water
when he was fired upon and six Indians
dashed at him.
Benson had Henry rifle in his
hand, and he freed and returned the
tire. killing one of the Indians. They
were between him and the camp, and
while two of them held him at bay,
the other three went in and killed
White and packed up the property.
Benson could not expose himself, nor
could ne pmsue when they drew of.
Had they hungered for his life they
could easily have taken it, but they
seemed satisfied with what they had
accomplished. The man didn't live
an hour after relating the particulars,
and went down on my knees by his
dead body and swore to revenge my
comrades.
"A month later twenty men of us
pioneers, hunters. Indian fighters, and
scouts, banded together to hustle "A
band of five or six redskins who had
captured and run off some horses from
a couple of ranches lying between the
south fork of the Platte and the north
fork of the Niobrara rivers. They had
full days start. but their captured
animals were obstinate and unruly, and
they made but slow progress. | had
been elected Captain of the band, and
about sundown.Of the first day, know
ing pretty well the route the Indians
must take for the next two. | called in
some of the oldest scouts for a con
sultation.
The result was that we planned a
short cut, and rode all night and until
noon next day to make sure work of it,
Then one took position in dry run
bordering the edge of a narrow valley
through which the Indians were eX-
pected, and every man saw that his
firearms were in order We had over
two hours to arrange the details and
when the savages finally appeared in
sight we were gratitied TO discover that
that the band we had first pursued had
been strengthened along the route by
others. There were now thirteen red
| skins. Wewere stationed along the run
about four feet apart, and il was under
| stood that not a shot was TO be fired
until the head of the band was fairly
a breast of the head of our line 1t
| seemed too bad that there were not just
thirty Indians. so as to give us man for
man, but that was matter wecouldn' {
/ improve on.
They came into the valley without
the slightest suspicion of our presence.
The herd was driving better, causing
no trouble, and some of the Indians
seemed to be asleep as they logged
along. As they rode in close order
their line did not exceed ours in length
and every one was fair target as we
got the signal and fired upon them.
Nine of them keeled. off their saddles
as dead as bricks, while the other four
were wounded. and were despatched
by second shots, Not one of them was
alive two minutes after the first trig-
ger was pulled, and, as | rolled the
body of the leader under my foot. |
felt that poor White and Benson might
sleep better in their lonely graves